Activities of Momchil NEKOV related to 2017/2002(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)

- having regard to the Council conclusions of 20 May 2014 on effective teacher education,

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)

- having regard to the Council resolution of 20 December 2011 on a renewed agenda for adult learning,

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)

- having regard to the Council conclusions on the role of early childhood education and primary education in fostering creativity, innovation and digital competence,

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)

- having regards to the European Parliament resolution of 19 January 2016 on the role of intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and education in promoting EU fundamental values,

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 b (new)

- having regards to the Commission Social Europe guide of March 2013 on 'Social Economy and Social Enterprises' (ISBN: 978-92-79-26866-3),

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 c (new)

- having regards to the ILO Decent Work Agenda,

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

C a. whereas, skills and competences go hand in hand and therefore the link between them should be further strengthened in the Agenda;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

F a. whereas, digital empowerment and self-confidence are an essential prerequisite for building strong societies and helping the unity and integration processes within the EU;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas, at EU level, NEETs (not in employment, education or training) are considered to be one of the most ~~problematic~~vulnerable groups in the context of youth unemployment; whereas women are 1.4 times more likely to become NEET than men on average;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

H a. whereas, according to Eurostat, persons with disabilities are 2 times more likely to become NEET; the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities in the EU 28 in 2011 was 47,3%; and persons with disabilities are 2 times more likely to leave education and training with lower secondary education at most 17a _________________ 17ahttp://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics- explained/index.php/Disability_statistics_- _access_to_education_and_training#Disa bled_people_leave_education_and_trainin g_earlier ; http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics- explained/index.php/Disability_statistics_- _labour_market_access

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas access to both formal and informal/non-formal learning and training opportunities must be a right for everyone at every stage of life so that they can acquire transversal skills such as, numeracy, digital and media literacy, critical thinking, social skills and relevant life skills;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas access to quality learning and training opportunities must be a right for everyone at every stage of life so that they can acquire transversal skills such as, numeracy, digital and media literacy, critical thinking, social skills and relevant life skills;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

J a. whereas it is essential that skills aim not only at increasing employability but also bolster the capacity to civic participation and the esteem for democratic values and tolerance, not least as a tool to foster an open-minded citizenry and to prevent radicalisation and intolerance of any kind;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital L c (new)

L c. whereas, when dealing with the issues of skills, in particular skills mismatch and jobs opportunities, the specific challenges faced by rural areas must be taken into account;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Agrees with the focus on the need to upgrade the European education and training systems in line with the fast changing economic and societal environment; notes that, while skills needs are dynamic, the main focus of the skills package is the immediate needs of the labour market; highlights in this respect the importance of a pan-European skills needs forecasting tool and lifelong learning with a view to adapting to new situations in the labour market but also valuing other purposes of education, such as preparation for active citizenship and fostering social inclusion;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Points out that education and training should contribute to the personal development and growth of young people in order to make them proactive and responsible citizens ready to live and work in a technologically advanced and globalised economy and provide them with the key set of competences for lifelong learning, defined as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship and employment;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Encourages Member States to go beyond promoting the ‘right occupational skills’ and to also focus on those aspects of education that are more work-based and more practical, and that foster an entrepreneurial mind-set and creativity, allow people to think critically and to fully participate in the democratic process and social life as open-minded citizens;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. In order to achieve the ambitious goals of the Agenda, there is a need to adopt a holistic approach to education and skills development, which put the learner at the centre of the process as well as to ensure sufficient investment in lifelong learning policies. Furthermore, access to education, training and gaining of skills must be accessible and affordable for all and more efforts are needed to include the most vulnerable;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Encourages Member States to better match the skills with the jobs in ~~the labour market~~appropriate value added sectors and in particular to put in place dual systems18 which help people to be flexible in their education paths and later in the labour market; _________________ 18 A dual education system combines apprenticeships in a company with vocational education at a vocational school in one course.

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Points out that access to learning and training opportunities must be a right for everyone, at every stage of life, to acquire transversal skills such as, numeracy, digital and media literacy, critical thinking, social skills and relevant life skills; it is of the opinion that the Skills Agenda is a step in the right direction encouraging shared commitment toward common vision about the crucial importance of lifelong learning policies;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Regrets that whilst there is increased recognition of the potential of quality early occupational guidance education and care in reducing early school leaving and in laying a solid foundation for further learning, the Skills Agenda lacks a forward-looking regard into the earlier phases of education; calls on Member States to reform and improve their systems towards the Barcelona objective of having at least 33% of children under 3 participating in early childhood education and care programmes;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Insists on the need for immediate action to reverse the unacceptable situation of 70 million Europeans lacking basic skills by introducing diverse schemes for enlarged access and motivation;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9 a. Calls on Member States to channel investments into inclusive education which responds to societal challenges with regards to ensure equal access and opportunities for all, including young people having different socio-economic backgrounds as well as vulnerable and disadvantaged groups;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Stresses that skills development must be a shared responsibility between education providers and employers; insists that the industry/employers should be involved in ~~providing and training~~the training process, design and delivery in order to equip people with the necessary skills in order for businesses to be competitive and at the same time boost people’s self-confidence;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Recognises the importance of fostering work-based learning apprenticeships as one of the tools to further facilitate the integration of individuals into the labour market i.e. by establishing bridges / competence exchange between generations;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12 a. Stresses the need to implement tailor-made support for on-the-job learners, apprentices and employees to ensure the inclusion of all individuals in the labour market;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Asks for concrete measures to be put in place in order to facilitate the transition of young people from education to work by ensuring quality internships and apprenticeships, giving young people the possibility of putting their talents into practice and hav~~e a set of rights and access to social protection~~ing clearly defined rights that include access to social protection, written and binding contracts and fair remuneration in order to ensure that they are not discriminated when it comes to accessing the world of work;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Believes that, in order to anticipate future skills needs, social partners, and education and training, providers, as well as specialised support services must be strongly involved at all levels, in particular in designing, implementing and evaluating vocational qualification programmes, which provide an effective transition from formal education to work-based learning and decent employment;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Insists on the importance of validating non-formal and informal learning to reach out and empower learners; recognises that this is particularly evident for disadvantaged groups, such as low-skilled adults who are in need of priority access to validation arrangements; welcomes in this regard the progress made in the last few years in the context of the implementation of Council recommendation on validation of non- formal and informal learning by 2018; it is however of the opinion that further efforts are needed in establishing relevant legal frameworks and creating comprehensive validation strategies in order to enable validation;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Regrets that employers and formal education providers do not sufficiently recognise the value and relevance of skills, competences and knowledge acquired through non-formal and informal learning; stresses in this regard the need to work on overcoming the lack of awareness on validation among all relevant stakeholders;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Recognises that the lack of comparability and coherence between the validation approaches of EU countries represents an additional barrier; furthermore, the provision of real access, recognition and financial support remains a real challenge especially for disadvantaged groups, such as low-skilled adults who are in need of priority access to validation;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Insists on the need to refocus on the role of non-formal education, which is key for the empowerment of people and especially for the more vulnerable and disadvantaged people, including people with special needs and disabled people, those who are low skilled and who have limited opportunities to access formal education;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Insists on the need to refocus on the role of non-formal education, which is key for the empowerment of people and especially those who are low skilled and who have limited opportunities to access formal education; believes that non-formal education providers and NGOs are in good position to reach out to the disadvantaged groups who are out of the formal education system and should be better supported in their role, to make sure that those most in need benefit from the Skills agenda;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Stresses that non-formal learning, including volunteering and art activities, has a crucial role to play in stimulating the development of life skills such as team work, creativity and a sense of initiative while reinforcing self- esteem and motivation to learn. Further emphasizes the importance of informal educational programmes, sports activities and intercultural dialogue, with a view to actively involving citizens in societal and democratic processes and making them less vulnerable to radicalist propaganda;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19 a. Believes that achieving validation means stimulating lifelong opportunities for all and fostering social inclusion and civic participation in our societies;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Asks for accessible validation and recognition arrangements, adapted to the needs of individuals, in particular those of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, to be put in place by 2018 to ensure that the upskilling pathways are a success20 ; _________________ 20 Council Recommendation of 19 December 2016.

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Insists on the need to incorporate new technologies in the teaching and learning process, while highlighting the need for age-appropriate ICT and media curricula that respect child development and wellbeing and emphasise the importance of both responsible use and critical thinking in order to equip people with the right set of advanced knowledge, multidisciplinary skills, competences and knowledge;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Insists on the need to incorporate new technologies in the teaching and learning process in order to equip people with the right set of skills, competences and knowledge; recalls the need to encourage girls and young women to pursue ICT studies;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21 a. Calls on Member States to encourage girls and young women to study STEM subjects and increase representation of women in STEM areas;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to urge Member States to draw up comprehensive national strategies for digital skills; points out however that in order for these strategies to be effective, there is a need for strong pedagogical leadership from teachers at all levels of education; highlights in this regard the need for lifelong career opportunities for teachers;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22 a. Calls on Member states to make available opportunities for ICT training and the development of digital skills and media literacy at all levels of education; in this regard underlines the importance of open educational resources (OER) which ensure access to education for all;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)

22 b. Draws the attention to the fact that in today's society, ensuring basic digital skills is an essential prerequisite for personal and professional fulfilment, but it is of the opinion that further efforts are needed in equipping people with more specific digital competences in order to be able to use digital technologies in an innovative and creative way;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)

22 c. Believes that more STEM should be predominantly focused in early childhood and primary education because the earlier people acquire these skills, the better chances they will have to succeed in their education and professional pathways; highlights also the need for education providers and employers to get more visible the concrete employment opportunities related to STEM-related skills;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Stresses the need to include elements of entrepreneurial learning, including social entrepreneurship, at all levels of education, since instilling entrepreneurial spirit among the young at an early stage is an effective way of fostering creativity and leadership skills, useful to set up social projects, contribute to local communities, and also combating youth unemployment;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Urges active dialogue and cooperation between the university community, other educational actors and sectors, social partners and the world of work aimed at developing educational programmes which equip young people with the requisite skills and competences and knowledge;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24 a. Points out that entrepreneurship requires the development of transversal skills such as creativity, critical thinking, teamwork and a sense of initiative, which contribute to young people's personal and professional development and facilitate their transition into the job market; believes there is a need, therefore, to facilitate and encourage participation by entrepreneurs in the educational process;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24 a. Recalls the need to provide support and training for the trainers and educators in a fast changing world; in this respect calls the Commission and Member States to support, including financially, exchange of best practices and peer- learning;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Reiterates the importance of vocational education and training (VET) for enhancing employability and clearing the pathway to professional qualifications for young people; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that VET is made more relevant and is tailored to labour market needs by making them an integral part of the education system, and to guarantee high qualification standards and quality assurance in this regard; Underlines the need for closer collaboration between VET and higher education providers in order to ensure successful transition of VET graduates to higher education;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25 a. Underlines the need to strengthen the vocational and career guidance practices both in the education system and the adult education towards skills and competences needed within countries perspective branches and sectors with high added value and investment potential;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Highlights the need to investigate the possibility for inter-sectorial mobility not only in the VET teacher profession but also among schools as a whole; reminds in this regard that the target for learning mobility in the VET sector in the Erasmus+ programme is far from being achieved and further attention should be given to it;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Stresses that the upskilling of all teachers trainers and mentors would be the prerequisite for the delivery of the Skills Agenda and that further efforts and analyses have to be made in attracting talents to this profession; notes that this requires the consideration for and the valorisation of teachers, attractive remuneration and working conditions, better access to further training during working time especially in digital didactics, as well as measures to protect against and prevent violence and harassment in educational institutions; calls on the Commission to encourage more gender equality in the teaching profession;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Stresses that the upskilling of all teachers and educators would be the prerequisite for the delivery of the Skills Agenda and that further efforts and analyses have to be made in attracting talents to this profession; calls on Member States to introduce incentives for attraction and motivation of young people and teachers to join and work in the education system;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28 a. Reminds that teachers education has been significantly affected by the economic and financial crises;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Emphasises the need to invest and support the initial and continuous professional development of teachers and good quality working conditions of all educational sectors and to establish lifelong career guidance services;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)

29 a. Recalls the need to include lifelong learning in a broader context of occupational literacy;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30 a. Reminds that many existing European transparency tools such as EQF, ECVET etc. have been developed in isolation; in order to allow individuals to better measure their progress and opportunities, and capitalise on the learning outcomes gained in different contexts, they need to be better coordinated and supported by quality assurance systems and embedded in a framework of national qualifications in order to build trust across sectors and actors, including employers;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to continue to focus on digital skills, in particular the digital transformation of the economy and re- shaping the way people work and do business, and takes note of the Commission’s intention to focus on the positive aspects of this transformation via the EU e-skills strategy; calls for further involvement of civil society and social partners in the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Calls for entrepreneurship education including social entrepreneurship to be part of the curriculum in the Member States in order to develop an individual entrepreneurial mind-set in citizens;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)

32 a. Encourages the Commission to develop equivalent competence frameworks for other key competences such as the competence of financial literacy in the same way as for digital and entrepreneurial skills;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Calls on the Commission in addition to develop a pan-European skill needs forecasting tool, which would make it possible to estimate future skill needs and adapt them better to the ~~jobs available~~vacant and perspective jobs on the labour market;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Regrets the lack of dedicated funding for the implementation of the proposals, which might be an important obstacle to taking actions that make a real difference at national level; highlights that the proposed sources of funding – namely the ESF and Erasmus+ – are already being distributed at national level;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)

36 a. calls on the Commission to encourage more funding for skills as important human capital investments which bring not only social but also economic returns;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37

37. Calls on the Commission and Member States to make funding available in order to bridge the existing technological gap between educational institutions which are well equipped and those which are not, as part of the national strategies for digital skills; points out the need to address the digital divide and to ensure equal opportunities for all to obtain access to digital technologies, as well as competences, attitudes and motivation needed for meaningful digital participation;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38

38. Calls on the Member States to foster cooperation and reinforce synergies between formal, non-formal and informal education providers, as well as with social partners with a view to reaching a wider group of low-skilled people in order to better take into account their specific needs;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)

39 a. Welcomes the planned revision of the EQF and stresses the need to ensure more visibility of skills, competences and knowledge, acquired through non-formal and informal learning;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40

40. Asks the Commission to leave more flexibility to Member States to broaden their skills offer and to not only focus on basic skills in the framework of the upskilling pathways, in the context of concrete needs at local, regional and sectorial level (for example intercultural, civic, ecological, health, family skills);

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)

40 a. Asks for more explicit links between the Skills Agenda and the European Semester and ET 2020 with regard to the education and employment targets;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 b (new)

40 b. Welcomes the revision of the Europass Framework and the effort to make more visible the different type of learning and skills, in particular those acquired outside the formal education; believes that the revison should ensure that disadvantaged groups such as people with disabilities, low-skilled people, senior citizens or long term unemployed could benefit from the tools;

2017/04/12
Committee: EMPL CULT